Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the number, and (2) the human rights implications, of raids by the Israel Defence Forces on Palestinian refugee camps and towns, which have involved the injuring or killing of Palestinians in 2022; and what representations they have made to the government of Israel about these raids.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. When there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We make it clear to Israel that it is important that the security forces provide appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning the protection of Palestinian civilians living in areas surrounded by Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Settlements are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace, and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. The UK condemns in the strongest terms incidents of violence by settlers against Palestinians and stresses the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population. We urge Israel to halt its settlement expansion. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] frequently engage with Israelis and Palestinians on this issue.

Palestinians: Medical Equipment

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports by Medical Aid for Palestinians that Palestinians are prevented from accessing life-saving medical equipment and supplies by Israeli forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Gaza.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We ask Israel to allow access into and out of Gaza and the West Bank, in accordance with international humanitarian law, for humanitarian actors, reconstruction materials and those, including Palestinians, travelling for medical purposes. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of this issue with the Israeli authorities. We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence directed towards healthcare workers. The wounded and critically ill in Gaza and the West Bank should be able to access the urgent medical care they need. The UK government welcomes any effort to cooperate between the Israeli and Palestinian peoples, including in the healthcare sector. When the Foreign Secretary wrote to his Israeli counterpart Eli Cohen on 10 May, he asked him to allow humanitarian access to Gaza following recent Israeli airstrikes there.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports by Yesh Din (1) Law Enforcement On Israeli Civilians In The West Bank (Settler Violence), published in December 2022, which found that 93 per cent of complaints made to Israeli police regarding settler violence, or ideologically motivated crimes, against Palestinian civilians are closed without indictments, and (2) Law Enforcement Against Israeli Soldiers Suspected Of Harming Palestinians And Their Property, which found that less than one per cent of complaints regarding harm caused to Palestinians by Israeli soldiers resulted in an indictment filed against the soldier.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We take note of a number of sources of information and continue to monitor the security situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). We regularly raise the issue of the numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. When there are accusations of excessive force, we encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire. I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] also raised this point with the Israeli Government during my visit to Israel and the OPTs in January.

UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan: Public Appointments

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherthey intend to make a new appointment to the position of the UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan as soon as the term of the current office-holder ends; and whether they have had discussions with the government of the United States to encourage that country to appoint their own special envoy.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan is fully engaged in efforts to secure peace in both Sudan and South Sudan and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. We will continue to work closely with the US on the situation in Sudan.

Sudan: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement made by the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Sudan, General Hamdan Dagalo, which urged his troops to defeat the national army and win the war.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Since conflict erupted in Sudan on 15 April, we have pursued all diplomatic avenues to end the violence, de-escalate tensions and secure humanitarian access. This includes at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, and through cooperation with counterparts from African, Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK, US) and European countries. We welcome the 7-day ceasefire agreement signed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces on 20 May, following the 11 May Jeddah Declaration. The UK continues to advocate for a return to a civilian-led government in Sudan. We urge all Sudanese stakeholders to end hostilities and engage urgently in an inclusive dialogue that will deliver the peace and stability that the Sudanese people deserve.

Sudan: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the ceasefire in Sudan is now enabling the distribution of humanitarian aid to displaced people; and what estimatethey have made of the numbers of people in need of help.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has worsened dramatically, with the UN estimating that almost 25 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance; a 57 percent increase compared to the estimated needs before the outbreak of hostilities on 15 April. We welcome the 7-day ceasefire agreement, signed by the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces on 20 May, following the 11 May Jeddah Declaration. We call on both parties to uphold these agreements, implement the ceasefire and allow essential humanitarian support to reach the people of Sudan. It is too soon to tell whether the ceasefire will translate into an opening up of humanitarian access in Sudan. We will coordinate with the UN and international humanitarian system so they can quickly scale-up delivery there, if and when the access situation improves. On 24 May, the Minister for Development and Africa announced £21.7 million in humanitarian aid to Sudan, following an initial £5 million allocation to assist urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad.

South Sudan and Sudan: Journalism

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the status of journalists, particularly women journalists, in Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In April 2023, the UK led the mandate renewal for the Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (CHRSS) at the UN Human Rights Council. The Commission reported that journalists in South Sudan experience severe harassment, including arbitrary detention and death threats, with some going into hiding or fleeing the country. In South Sudan, the UK consistently raises the importance of media freedom with the Government of South Sudan and funded a project with the Female Journalists Network to enhance media literacy skills among civil society women leaders and improve the technical ability of female journalists.In Sudan, the UK condemns the restrictions placed on media freedom since the coup on 25 October 2021 and the outbreak of hostilities on 15 April. The UK's work on protecting media freedom has focused on demonstrating public support for freedom of expression and building resilience in the Sudanese media. We have publicly supported a number of journalists who have faced harassment and attended UNESCO's event for the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in 2022.

Sudan: Gender Based Violence

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, and intend to take, in response to reports of gender-based violence in Sudan.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what recentinitiatives or programmes they (1) have funded, and (2) are aware of, to combat gender-based violence in Sudan.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they (1)have deployed, or (2) intend to deploy, an expert team to Sudan’s neighbouring countries to assist in (a) responding to, and (b) investigating reports of, gender-based violence in Sudan; and if so, what is that team's mandate.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what partnershipsthey have formed with other (1) governments, or (2) international organisations, to respond to reports of gender-based violence in Sudan.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will take steps, with international partners, to ensure the (1) protection, and (2) support, of survivors of gender-based violence in Sudan, including with regard to access to (a) healthcare, (b) counselling, and (c) legal assistance.

Baroness Helic: To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) strategies, (2) best practices, and (3) lessons learned, in addressing gender-based violence in other contexts, they intend to promote and adapt with international partners working in Sudan.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: There has been an escalation of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women and girls in Sudan since 15 April. These crimes take place in a broader context human rights violations since the military coup on 25 October 2021, with a further escalation in incidents since 15 April. The UK has consistently condemned these in our public statements, at the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council, and in our diplomatic lobbying. We continue to fund and provide support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan that provides a crucial role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. We are liaising closely with them as they now set up and run their remote working mechanisms. Through the Women's Integrated Sexual Health programme, we are also providing integrated sexual and reproductive services, and provisions of family planning and management of SGBV through 262 facilities, 302 private facilities and 11 mobile health teams to reach the most inaccessible communities, although sadly these programmes are suspended since the 15 April onset of conflict. On 4 May, the UK announced a £5 million initial package of humanitarian support to help address the urgent needs of people fleeing violence in Sudan, with £2.5 million allocated to Chad and £2 million to South Sudan. In South Sudan, £500,000 was allocated to UNICEF for gender-based Violence protection services. The UK is working with its partners to ensure strong gender and inclusion conflict analyses underpin all aspects of the crisis response.

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Solar Events

Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask His Majesty's Government whatrecent assessment they have made of the reasonable worst case scenario for a solar flare; and what consideration they have given to (1) the Carrington Event of 1859, and (2) the coronal mass ejection of 12 March 2023.

Lord Callanan: The National Security Risk Assessment includes the reasonable worst case scenario assessing the impacts of severe space weather phenomena, such as solar flares, on essential services. This was updated in 2022 and reflects the latest scientific and engineering knowledge, including appropriate historical data from the Carrington Event.Met Office modelling suggests that the coronal mass ejection of 12 March 2023 erupted from the far-side of the Sun travelling away from the Earth, at a similar speed to the Carrington event of 1859.

Cabinet Office

Children: Bereavement Counselling

The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham: To ask His Majesty's Government what plansthey have to identify bereaved children in official statistics for the purposes of meeting their needs.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority. The Rt Rev. the Lord Bishop of Southwell and NottinghamHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW01 June 2023 Dear Lord Bishop, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what plans there are to identify bereaved children in official statistics for the purposes of meeting their needs (HL8022). Deaths are registered in England and Wales as part of civil registration, a legal requirement. A death registration does not include details of the deceased’s family relationships and as such cannot be used to identify bereaved children. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has no current plans to identify bereaved children in official statistics. However, as part of the forthcoming consultation on population statistics we will consider it as part of our future plans across population statistics. This consultation will officially launch at the end of the month and more details will be available on our website. You may be interested in our previous published estimates that used the ONS Longitudinal Study (LS) to estimate the proportion of children born between the years 1971-2000, and followed up to the end of 2016, who experienced the death of their mother. Around 1% of children are likely to experience the death of their mother before they reach the age of 16. This equated to around 7,000 children every year in England and Wales who could experience maternal bereavement by the age of 16. An estimate for those experiencing the death of their father or other relationships was not possible to create using the same methodology. The data are an estimate within a range and are limited to children born in England and Wales. Stepchildren and adopted children are not captured using this method. The estimate is described in more detail in ‘How many children experience the death of their mother?’ [1] and the data can be found in our ‘Children aged under 16 years who have experienced the death of their mother’ release [2]. Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond [1] https://blog.ons.gov.uk/2019/02/22/how-many-children-experience-the-death-of-their-mother/[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/childrenwhoareunder16wholoseamother UK Statistics Authority  (pdf, 108.2KB)

Ageing: Departmental Coordination

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the elements surrounding ageing that fall outside of the remit of the Department of Health and Social Care; and what steps they are taking, together with other government departments, to co-ordinate the provision of support for the multi-dimensional aspects of ageing.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: While the work required to protect our older generation stretches across the whole of Government, individual departments take responsibility for the delivery of relevant policies within their jurisdictions. The Department of Health and Social Care has jurisdiction over policy levers that relate to the physical and mental health of the older generation. The Department of Work and Pensions also has a strong role to play in its allocation of pensions and benefits. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has a taskforce that aims to improve the housing options for older people. Furthermore, the Cabinet Office’s Equality Hub leads on the Equality Act 2010, which provides strong protection from age discrimination in a variety of settings.

Home Office

Asylum: Housing

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they take toensure that acceptablestandards are maintained at the accommodation used for asylum seekers and refugees.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The United Kingdom has a statutory obligation to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation and other support whilst their application for asylum is being considered as set out in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. The Act also sets out the need to meet essential living needs. The support package provided usually consists of accommodation and a weekly cash allowance to meet other essential living needs such as food, toiletries, travel and clothing. The support rate for those in contingency accommodation is intended to cover essential living items that are not met by the accommodation provider such as clothing, non-prescription medicine and travel.The Asylum Accommodation service providers identify suitable accommodation and ensure that it conforms to the accommodation standards and provision set out in Schedule 2 of the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts (AASC).The Statement of Requirements, available via the link below, sets out the full details of the contractual obligations of our accommodation providershttp://data.parliament.uk/DepositedPapers/Files/DEP2018-1112/AASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements.pdfAll asylum properties are also inspected by our accommodation providers at least monthly. Additionally, our contract assurance team carries out targeted inspections, for example, targeting for inspection properties about which issues have been raised via Migrant Help. Our inspectors have procedures and tools to focus inspections on all relevant aspects of contract compliance.If accommodation providers have been found to have fallen short of the required standards then we can take action, including but not limited to the application of financial remediesAASC_-_Schedule_2_-_Statement_of_Requirements (pdf, 1227.9KB)

Asylum: Rwanda

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask His Majesty's Government what arrangements they will make with thegovernment of Rwanda to ensure that the families of asylum seekers who are deported to that country are kept together.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Everyone considered for relocation to Rwanda will be screened and have access to legal advice. Decisions will be taken on a case-by-case basis and nobody will be removed if it is unsafe or inappropriate for them. Suitable accommodation will be provided for all those relocated to Rwanda.We will thoroughly consider the circumstances of cases involving families with children according to our policy, statutory and international obligations. A full equality impact assessment has been published on gov.uk.For those with family links in the UK who want to be considered for entry to the UK, they should seek to do so via legal and safe routes.

Extradition: Russia

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have given to law enforcement agencies regarding actions to pursue on Interpol Red Notices issued by Russian authorities.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The Government has a long-standing policy to neither confirm nor deny (NCND) the existence of a Red Notice or Diffusion against any named individual. This includes how individual Notices or Diffusions are handled by law enforcement officers. This is in order to support the functioning of our judicial processes. This policy is also applied by the National Crime Agency.

Department of Health and Social Care

Three Counties Medical School

Lord Naseby: To ask His Majesty's Government why they have denied funding for domestic students at the Three Counties Medical School at the University of Worcester.

Lord Markham: The Government continues to keep the number of medical school places that it funds under review. NHS England has been commissioned to produce a long-term workforce plan. The Government has committed to publishing the plan shortly and this will include independently verified forecasts for the number of healthcare professionals required in future years, taking full account of improvements in retention and productivity. The workforce plan is for the whole of the NHS workforce.

IVF

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Bethell on 5 March 2020 (HL1701) and 2 April 2020 (HL2792), how many (1) implantation failures, (2) spontaneous miscarriages, (3) terminations of pregnancies, and (4) live births, have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (a) pronuclear transfer, and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.

Lord Markham: The following table shows how many implantation failures, spontaneous miscarriages, terminations of pregnancies and live births, have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer. Pronuclear transferSpindle-chromosomal complex transferImplantation failures20-230Spontaneous miscarriages00Terminations of pregnancy00Live births 0Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)Notes:The data is as recorded by the HFEA on 10 May 2023 so these figures reflect the data on this day and are likely to change over time.The HFEA publishes information which does not compromise patient confidentiality. All counts of less than five are not released as there is a significant possibility that when combined with other information which may be reasonably accessed, it could lead to the identification of a person to whom the HFEA owes a duty of confidentiality.Implantation failures is calculated as embryo transfer procedures subtracting where intrauterine foetal pulsations were recorded. This calculation does not account for chemical pregnancies as these are not recorded.This information has been banded as it could reasonably be used in combination with information already in the public domain to determine suppressed information in this table.

Dental Services: Vacancies

Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of dentists treating NHS patients.

Lord Markham: In July 2022, we announced a package of dental system improvements to increase access for National Health Service dental patients and make NHS dentistry more attractive to practices.NHS England negotiated amendments to the NHS dental contract with the British Dental Association and other stakeholders. These improvements, which came into effect in November 2022, will ensure dentists are more fairly remunerated for the delivery of NHS care and making NHS dentistry a more attractive place to work and improve access for patients.We have also recently simplified the General Dental Council's legislative framework for the registration of international dentists and dental care professionals. The legislative changes came into force on 8 March 2023.We will announce our plan for further reform of the NHS dental system later this year. It will include several areas requiring further action to support and recover activity in NHS dentistry.We are also committed to publishing a long-term NHS workforce plan that will set out the actions and reforms that are required to reduce supply gaps and improve retention, including in dentistry.

Gender Dysphoria: Children

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government whatmeasures they have in place to ensure that treatments for children diagnosed with gender dysphoria at the Tavistock Clinic follow NHS guidance, and that all drugs and treatments are accurately assessed for their long-term effect.

Lord Markham: All specialised services that NHS England commission must be provided in line with the relevant service specification that NHS England publish for those services. The Gender Identity Development Service at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is commissioned in line with NHS England’s published service specification. An Independent Multi-Professional Review Group continue to review all referrals for puberty blockers for Gender Identity Development Service patients.Following the Cass Review’s interim recommendations, NHS England has commissioned the establishment of a research protocol which will consider the long-term impact of puberty blockers. Children will be prescribed puberty blockers as part of this protocol once it is operational.NHS England has also established a national Children and Young People's Gender Dysphoria Research Oversight Board to oversee future research into treatments offered to children diagnosed with gender dysphoria.

Gender Dysphoria: Children

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask His Majesty's Government whether parents are informed if their child expresses a desire (1) in school, or (2) in an NHS facility, to change sex; and if not, whether they intend to introduce a right for parents to be so informed.

Lord Markham: The Department for Education is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance to support schools in relation to gender questioning pupils. The Department for Education will publish a draft for consultation soon. The NHS England interim service specification and clinical policies in relation to a child or young person seeking hormone interventions require assent from the parents in addition to consent from the child or young person.

Department for Education

Conditions of Employment: Special Educational Needs

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the relative work and pay conditions of employees (1) with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and (2) without SEND.

Baroness Barran: The post-16 education and labour market activities, pathways and outcomes report, published in May 2021, uses the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) administrative data set to explore the pattern and nature of the pathways that people take from completing school, through their education and into the labour market. This is broken down by a number of key characteristics including special education need. The report can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/post-16-education-and-labour-market-activities-pathways-and-outcomes-leo, and the dashboard can be found here: https://department-for-education.shinyapps.io/leo-post16education-labourmarket/.The dashboard provides information on educational and labour market activities, including earnings, employment rates and out-of-work benefits uptake, for up to 15 years after leaving school.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agriculture: Land Use

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government how many acres of agricultural land which were previously being farmed were given over to solar farms in (1) 2018, (2) 2019, (3) 2020, (4) 2021, and (5) 2022.

The Lord Bishop of Exeter: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on UK food security of giving over farm land to solar farms.

Lord Benyon: Defra has previously published statistics for the amounts of land changing use during individual years from 2013 to 14 through to 2017 to 2018. The Department intends to provisionally publish similar figures for the three year period 2019 to 2022 using a revised methodology during June or July 2023, however, the figures are not detailed enough to provide the information requested. The Government has made an assessment of the UK’s food security as a whole. In the Agriculture Act 2020, the Government made a commitment to produce an assessment of our food security at least once every three years. The first UK Food Security Report was published in December 2021. It considers the UK's food supply sources overall, noting that domestic production and diversity of supply are both important to our food security. In general, we produce 61% of all the food we need, and 74% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year, and these figures have changed little over the last 20 years. With regards to solar farms specifically, protecting our environment, backing British farmers and delivering long-term energy security with more renewables is at the heart of HM Government’s manifesto. The National Planning Policy Framework sets out clearly that local planning authorities should consider all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land, when making plans or taking decisions on new development proposals. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, planning authorities should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality. Solar and farming can be complementary, supporting each other financially, environmentally and through shared use of land. We consider that meeting energy security and climate change goals is urgent and of critical importance to the country, and that these goals can be achieved together with maintaining food security for the UK. We encourage deployment of solar technology that delivers environmental benefits, with consideration for ongoing food production or environmental improvement.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Housing: Construction

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask His Majesty's Government how many new homes they expect to build in the current year.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The department does not publish forecasts of new builds.The most recent data for new dwellings shows an increase of 232,820 dwellings in the year to 31 March 2022. This represents over 75% of the Government’s ambition to see 300,000 new homes a year.

Ministry of Justice

Human Rights

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government what answer, if any, they gave to the question from the government of China posed to the UK submitted in advance of the United Nations 4th Universal Periodic Review which asked, “What measures has the UK taken to eliminate the mentality and legacies of colonialism and to address the root causes of its long-lasting systemic and institutional racism and xenophobia?".

Lord Bellamy: In his opening statement at the UK’s Interactive Dialogue under the Universal Periodic Review, my colleague, Minister Freer, provided answers to some of the questions the UK received in advance of the session. However, there was not time to respond to all the questions and the UK provided no answer specifically to the question posed by China.

Probate: Standards

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what isthe current level of delay for the receipt of Probate following application to HM Courts & Tribunals Service.

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask His Majesty's Government why applications for probate which require no additional documentation cannot be processed using Artificial Intelligence and completed immediately.

Lord Bellamy: Despite record level of receipts in 2022 the average length of time taken for a grant of probate following receipt of the documents required has been maintained at between 5 and 8 weeks. HMCTS has increased resources to meet the higher demand following an increased number of estates requiring probate and is further increasing resourcing to further bring down overall timeliness on digital and paper applications. Average waiting times for probate grants, are routinely published on gov.uk via Family Court Statistics Quarterly and currently cover the period up to December 2022. HMCTS is conducting an investigation to explore the potential applications of AI in the Courts and Tribunals, which raises important policy, ethical, legal, and social issues to be considered.

Department for Transport

Electric Scooters: International Cooperation

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had with other countries about best practice in the regulation of e-scooters.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Departmental officials engage with public and private sector contacts from many countries to understand how regulation of e-scooters is being used to integrate micromobility into different transport systems, the challenges this has raised and the solutions that have been developed. The Department also monitors international experience through literature research.